Wires the dormant `Value.type_tag(TypeId)` variant in interp.zig
so Type values flow through the comptime interpreter as
first-class kind-distinguished entities. No source-language
construction path yet — that's a follow-up. This commit is the
infrastructure foundation.
Audit findings (from interp.zig switch-walk):
- Every `else =>` arm over Value is either already loud
(`bailDetail` / `error.TypeError`) or a pass-through helper
(`materializeCtxArg`, `materializeForCall`, `resolveSlotChain`)
where transit-unchanged is semantically correct for type_tag.
No new silent paths introduced by activating the variant.
- The three pre-existing `.type_tag => return bailDetail(...)`
arms (store-at-raw-ptr, deref-non-pointer, unbox-non-aggregate)
already cover the disallowed paths cleanly.
New plumbing:
- `Op.const_type: TypeId` — dedicated opcode. Never piggybacks
on `const_int`. Result IR-type is `.any` to signal "untyped
at runtime" so downstream coercions fail loudly.
- `Builder.constType(tid)` constructor.
- Interp arm emits `Value{ .type_tag = tid }` for the op.
- emit_llvm arm bails loudly + emits an undef-i64 placeholder
(Type is comptime-only — if a Type ever reached LLVM emit,
some upstream builder leaked through; the diagnostic + LLVM
verifier downstream surface the offending site).
- `print.zig` arm prints `const type(<typeName>)`.
- `Value.asTypeId() ?TypeId` helper — the kind-honest accessor
for Type values. asInt/asFloat/asBool/asString continue to
return null for `.type_tag` (no silent coercion).
- `evalCmp` arm for `.type_tag, .type_tag` — TypeId equality.
Mixed `.type_tag` vs `.int` deliberately falls through to
the typeErrorDetail bail (a Type is not an int).
Tests (src/ir/interp.test.zig):
- `const_type yields type_tag` — confirms the variant is
produced and that asTypeId/asInt distinguish correctly.
- `type_tag comparison` — exercises cmp_eq on equal and
unequal pairs, asserts the right bool comes back.
208/208 example tests + `zig build test` green. No user-visible
behaviour change yet — `.type_tag` is constructible from Zig-
side IR builders but no sx-level syntax produces it. Next slice
wires `$args` lowering (or `$args[i]` in expression position)
to emit `const_type` per pack element.
Step 3 second slice. Adds two reflection builtins used by
pack-fn bodies to branch on type identity / protocol
membership at compile time. type_name already existed
(lower.zig:8693); reused as-is.
type_eq(T1, T2) -> bool structural TypeId equality
has_impl(P, T) -> bool T has a reachable impl for P
Both are wired through `tryConstBoolCondition` so the inline-if
ladder folds them at lower time — `inline if type_eq(...)` /
`inline if has_impl(...)` collapse to a single branch with no
runtime instructions, perfect for guard-based dispatch inside
pack-fn bodies.
`has_impl`'s protocol arg accepts two shapes:
- plain protocol name: `has_impl(Allocator, CAllocator)` →
walks `protocol_thunk_map["Allocator\x00CAllocator"]`.
- parameterised call: `has_impl(Into(Block), s64)` →
builds the param_impl_map key `"Into\x00Block\x00s64"`
and checks containment. The protocol type-args resolve
through `resolveTypeArg` so type aliases, generics, and
pack-indexed types all work as protocol args.
`computeHasImpl` is the shared implementation between the
runtime builtin path and the `tryConstBoolCondition` fast
path so both branches stay in sync.
`examples/168-pack-reflection-intrinsics.sx` exercises every
shape:
- type_name for primitive types.
- type_eq with both equal + unequal cases, including pointer
types (s64 vs *s64).
- inline-if folding type_eq.
- has_impl with a real plain-protocol impl
(Allocator/CAllocator → true; Allocator/s64 → false).
- has_impl with a user-defined parameterised protocol
(Wrap(s64)/s32 → true; mismatched target args → false).
208/208 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Caveat: plain-protocol has_impl uses `protocol_thunk_map`
which is lazily populated when an `xx` cast or protocol
dispatch creates the thunks. For a static check before any
dispatch, that could false-negative. Allocator/CAllocator
works in 168 because stdlib's startup uses CAllocator through
the Allocator protocol — the thunks already exist by the time
has_impl runs. A more robust static check (walk fn_ast_map for
"<T_name>.<method>" entries against the protocol's method
list) is deferred to a follow-up if needed.
LSP "undefined variable" warnings on type names in expression
position (s64, *s64, Wrap(s64), etc. passed to type_eq /
has_impl) are cosmetic — sema doesn't know these intrinsics
accept types as args. Tracked separately.
Adds `resolveFunctionTypeWithBindings` so `function_type_expr`
in a binding-aware context — local var annotations, return
types, nested type expressions — recursively resolves through
the active pack bindings. Without this, the fall-through to
`type_bridge.resolveAstType` lost pack context and the new
`pack_index_type_expr` arm spammed the "outside pack-aware
context" diagnostic (the function still worked by accident
thanks to the `.s64` fallback).
Plumbing:
- `resolveTypeWithBindings` adds a `function_type_expr` case
in both the bindings-active branch and the fallthrough
switch (the same shape as `closure_type_expr`).
- `resolveFunctionTypeWithBindings` recursively resolves each
param + return type with bindings, then calls
`functionTypeCC` with the AST's calling convention.
`examples/167-pack-type-fnptr.sx` exercises the pattern step
5's trampoline needs:
fp : (*void, $args[0]) -> $args[1] = double_s64;
return fp(null, args[0]);
Output: 14 (= 7*2 via the typed fn-pointer).
207/207 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Step 3 first slice. `$<pack>[<int_literal>]` now parses in
every type position and resolves against the active pack
binding (`pack_arg_types` map set up by `monomorphizePackFn`).
Plumbing:
- src/ast.zig: new `PackIndexTypeExpr { pack_name, index }`
AST node + `pack_index_type_expr` variant in `Data`.
- src/parser.zig: in `parseTypeExpr`'s `$<ident>` arm, peek
for `[`. If found, parse a non-negative `int_literal` index
followed by `]` and emit a `pack_index_type_expr` node.
Plain `$T` / `$T/Eq` paths unchanged.
- src/ir/lower.zig::resolveTypeWithBindings: handles
`pack_index_type_expr` first — looks up the pack name in
`pack_arg_types`, returns `arg_tys[index]` when in range.
OOB and "no active pack binding" cases emit focused
diagnostics at the node span.
- src/ir/type_bridge.zig::resolveAstType: handles the same
node but falls back to `.s64` with a stderr note — the bare
type_bridge has no access to lowering state. Pack-aware
callers route through `resolveTypeWithBindings`.
- src/sema.zig: adds `pack_index_type_expr` to the no-op
arms in `analyzeNode` and `findNodeAtOffset` so the sema
pass doesn't reject the new variant.
Tests:
- examples/165-pack-type-position.sx (lock-in from 69dcee8)
flips from parse error to "42 first". Exercises both a
return-type position (-> $args[0]) AND a local-var
annotation (second : $args[1] = args[1]); two
heterogeneous call shapes confirm distinct monos pick
distinct concrete types per pack index.
- examples/166-pack-type-position-three.sx — three-element
pack with $args[2] (third element) as return type. Three
call shapes: (s64,s64,string), (bool,f64,s64),
(string,string,bool). Prints "third 99 false".
Out of scope (deferred):
- $args[$i] where $i is a comptime-bound expression (only
literal int supported in this slice).
- $args[$i] in fn-pointer type LITERALS (works for named
decls but nested fn type expressions need an audit).
- $args[$i] in struct field types.
206/206 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Tests that exercise top-level #run produce two interleaved
output streams: the interp's #run prints (flushed via
std.debug.print → stderr at core.zig:187/190) and the JIT-
executed main's prints (libc write fd=1 → stdout). When the
test runner captures both via 2>&1 the boundary between them
is invisible — the snapshot reads as one block.
Now `sx run` emits "--- build done ---\n" on stderr right
before invoking the JIT, when `hasTopLevelRun(root)` is true.
Tests without top-level #run keep their current snapshots
unchanged; only the 7 affected tests pick up the delimiter
between the build-time and run-time sections.
Example: 05-run flips from
hello 25
hello 25
to
hello 25
--- build done ---
hello 25
— the first "hello 25" is from `#run main()` running at
compile time, the second is from JIT main() running at
runtime. The delimiter makes that explicit.
204/204 example tests + `zig build test` green.
`createComptimeFunction` wraps a comptime expression into a
fresh fn that the interp executes in isolation. The wrapper
must not inherit the enclosing call's lowering state — any
leaked slot, binding, or scope flag corrupts the wrapper's
own lowering.
Pre-fix, only `func` / `current_block` / `inst_counter` /
`scope` / `current_ctx_ref` were saved. Specifically NOT
saved:
- `inline_return_target` — set by `lowerComptimeCall` for an
outer comptime body with `return X;`. The wrapper's body
was lowering through this slot, routing the wrapper's
`ret` into a basic block from a different function.
- `pack_arg_nodes`, `pack_param_count`, `pack_arg_types` —
active during a pack-fn mono's body lowering. (Pack-fn
face of 0046 was already fixed by step 2b moving pack-fn
calls off the inline path; these saves close a latent
cross-contamination if any future pack-mono body invokes
the comptime interp.)
- `comptime_param_nodes` — active during an outer
`lowerComptimeCall` to bind `$fmt`-style substitutions.
- `block_terminated`, `target_type`, `func_defer_base` — fn-
local flags that the wrapper's lowering needs fresh.
All eight now save/restore in `createComptimeFunction`. The
wrapper runs in a clean state.
`examples/issue-0046.sx` flips from the
non-deterministic interp panic to "inside\n" + "n=42\n".
204/204 example tests + `zig build test` green. Issue file
marked FIXED with a pointer to the regression test.
Fixes follow-up #1 from step 2b. Pack-fns can now mix non-pack
comptime params with the trailing pack:
tagged :: ($tag: s32, ..$args) -> s64 {
return tag * 100 + args.len;
}
`isPackFn` relaxed to "exactly one trailing pack + any number
of non-pack comptime params". The mono path takes over.
Plumbing in src/ir/lower.zig:
- `lowerPackFnCall` walks fd.params + call_node.args in lockstep:
comptime non-pack args fold into the mangle (`__ct_<value>`
segments); non-comptime non-pack args contribute to the
runtime arg-type list; remaining call args populate the pack
expansion.
- `appendComptimeValueMangle` mangles int / bool / float /
string literals stably. Strings hash to keep the symbol short.
Distinct comptime values get distinct monos.
- `monomorphizePackFn` takes `call_node` so it can read comptime
call args. Skips comptime non-pack params when building the
runtime IR signature. Binds each comptime non-pack param both
as a `comptime_param_nodes` entry (for `#insert`) AND as a
runtime local via alloca+store (for bare-name body access).
`examples/164-pack-mixed-comptime.sx` flips from "unresolved
'tag'" to `703` / `900`. Two calls of `tagged` with
different comptime tags get distinct monos
(`tagged__ct_7__pack_...` and `tagged__ct_9__pack`).
This is the load-bearing prerequisite for step 6 of the plan
(stdlib `print` / `format` refactor to `(\$fmt, ..\$args)`).
Out of scope:
- Non-literal comptime args. `appendComptimeValueMangle`
degrades them to `?` (so two distinct non-literal expressions
in the same call slot would collide). Acceptable since
literal args are the only common case; non-literal would need
comptime evaluation to determine the value.
203/203 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Fixes follow-ups #3 (bare `args` reference) and #4
(`args[<runtime_int>]`) from step 2b. The pack-mono now
materialises an `[]Any` slice value for the pack name at body
entry: each pack-param slot is loaded, boxed via `boxAny`, and
stored into a stack [N x Any] array; the slice {data_ptr, len}
binds to the pack name in scope.
Plumbing in src/ir/lower.zig:
- `materialisePackSlice(scope, pack_name, slot_refs, arg_types)`
— new helper that emits the array alloca + box+store loop +
slice alloca + bind. Empty-pack case (N == 0) emits {null, 0}
directly.
- `monomorphizePackFn` captures the pack-param slot Refs as
they bind, then calls `materialisePackSlice` after binding so
the slice load can pull each param value.
After: `args` (bare) resolves as `[]Any` and forwards to
slice-typed helpers; `args[<runtime_int>]` lowers through the
standard slice-indexing path, element type `Any`. Per-position
type info is lost via Any boxing — that is the inherent cost
of treating a heterogeneous pack as a uniform value. Literal-
indexed access still routes through `packArgNodeAt` and keeps
the concrete per-position types.
`examples/162-pack-bare-args.sx` flips from "unresolved 'args'"
to `3` (forwarded to `log_count(items: []Any)` which returns
`items.len`).
`examples/163-pack-runtime-index.sx` flips from the LLVM
verifier crash to `4` (while-loop over `args.len`, indexing
each `args[i]` runtime).
202/202 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Two follow-on fixes for follow-up #2 (generic pack-fn return).
(1) `pack_arg_types` — a new type-only pack binding consulted by
`inferExprType` for `<pack_name>[<int_literal>]`. The earlier
`pack_arg_nodes`-via-synthesized-idents path lost the type
during return-type inference because the synthesized idents
("__pack_args_0" etc.) only resolve once the mono scope is set
up — but the inference runs BEFORE scope setup. Now
`monomorphizePackFn` installs `pack_arg_types[<pack>] =
arg_types` alongside the existing nodes/count maps, and
`inferExprType` consults it directly.
`foo(..$args) -> $R => args[2]` called as `foo(42, 3.2, "hello")`
now correctly returns "hello" (string) — the third element-
typed pick threads through inference to the mono ret_ty.
(2) `diagPackIndexOOB` — focused diagnostic for `args[<lit>]`
where the literal exceeds the pack arity. Pre-fix the
substitution returned null and the standard slice-indexing
fall-through emitted "unresolved args" — burying the real
cause. Now: "pack index 2 out of bounds: 'args' has 1
element" at the index span.
Tests:
- `examples/160-pack-hetero-ret.sx` — generic `$R` with non-
zeroth heterogeneous pick (returns "hello").
- `examples/161-pack-index-oob.sx` — call passes 1 arg but
body indexes args[2]; locks in the OOB diagnostic shape.
200/200 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Fix for follow-up #2 from step 2b. When a pack-fn declares
`(..\$args) -> \$R` (return type a generic name), the mono now
infers ret_ty from the body's first explicit `return X;` or
falls back to the tail expression of an arrow-form body.
Plumbing in src/ir/lower.zig:
- `inferPackBodyReturnType(body)` walks the body via the
existing `findReturnValueType` helper (return stmts) and
falls through to `inferExprType` on the tail expression for
arrow-form / tail-expr bodies.
- `monomorphizePackFn` now pre-installs `pack_arg_nodes` and
`pack_param_count` BEFORE resolving the return type so the
inference can substitute `args[<lit>]` to call-site arg
AST nodes during type lookup.
- Generic-ret detection: `fd.return_type` AST node is a
`type_expr` with `is_generic = true`. Concrete returns stay
on the standard `resolveReturnType` path.
`examples/159-pack-generic-ret.sx` flips from `0 0` (silent-
zero coercion through opaque struct ret_ty) to `42 99`.
198/198 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Pack-fns (`isPackFn(fd) == true` — last param `is_variadic AND
is_comptime`, no other comptime params) now emit ONE
monomorphised function per unique call-site signature. Repeat
calls with the same arg-type tuple share the mono; distinct
shapes get distinct symbols. Pre-2b each call inlined a fresh
body copy into the caller's basic block; IR size grew linearly
in call sites.
Plumbing in `src/ir/lower.zig`:
- `isPackFn(fd)` — true when the only comptime param is a
trailing pack. Mixed `($fmt, ..$args)` shapes stay on the
inline `lowerComptimeCall` path (different substitution
mechanism for the comptime non-pack param; deferred).
- `lowerPackFnCall(fd, call_node)`:
- Builds a mangled name `<fn_name>__pack__<arg_types>` from
call-site `inferExprType` results. Distinct shapes get
distinct symbols.
- Cache-checks `lowered_functions`; calls
`monomorphizePackFn` on miss.
- Lowers call args, then re-fetches the func pointer (the
fetch BEFORE arg lowering would invalidate after any
transitively-triggered module.functions.items realloc),
prepends ctx if needed, coerces, emits direct call.
- `monomorphizePackFn(fd, mangled, arg_types)`:
- Mirrors `monomorphizeFunction` for the standard fn build:
save state, build param list (ctx + fixed prefix + N pack
params with synthesised names `__pack_<name>_<i>`),
`beginFunction`, entry block, bind params to scope.
- Installs `pack_arg_nodes[<name>]` with synthesised AST
identifier nodes pointing at the pack-param slots so the
body's `args[<int_literal>]` substitutes through the
existing 2a.B mechanism — substitution resolves to the
mono's own param slot loads.
- Installs `pack_param_count[<name>] = N` so the body's
`args.len` resolves to a compile-time constant via a new
intercept in `lowerFieldAccess` (and the parallel arm in
`inferExprType`).
- Lowers the body with `inline_return_target = null` so
`return X;` emits a real `ret X` instead of the inline-slot
routing — the mono is a real fn now.
- Routed at three call sites: each `if (hasComptimeParams(fd))
{ return self.lowerComptimeCall(...); }` now first checks
`isPackFn(fd)` and routes to `lowerPackFnCall` when true.
Lifetime gotcha caught and fixed: `params.items` is stored by
reference in `Function.init` (no copy), so the local
`ArrayList(Function.Param)` must NOT be deinit'd in
`monomorphizePackFn` — matches the leak convention already used
by `monomorphizeFunction`.
`examples/158-pack-mono-dedup.sx` confirms the dedup
end-to-end: `count(), count(1), count(2), count(1,2,3),
count("x", true)` produces `0 1 1 3 2` at runtime AND emits
exactly 4 monos in IR (`count__pack`, `count__pack_s64`,
`count__pack_s64_s64_s64`, `count__pack_string_bool`) — the
two s64 calls share. `args.len` resolves to the comptime
constant N inside each mono.
`examples/156-pack-typed-index.sx` and
`examples/157-pack-if-return.sx` continue to pass unchanged.
Out of scope:
- Mixed `$fmt + ..$args` shapes (stays on inline path).
- Generic `$R` return types (concrete returns only).
- Bare `args` reference (passing the slice as a whole).
- `args[<runtime_int>]` (non-literal index).
197/197 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Fixes the regression locked in by 2a.C (commit 6b7a66b).
issue-0045's original fix set `block_terminated = true` after
each inline `return X;` to skip dead code in the inlined body.
But the flag leaked past structured control flow — an `if cond
{ return X; }` whose merge block continued to subsequent
statements would short-circuit the trailing code at the
`lowerBlockValue` loop's `if (self.block_terminated) return
null;` check.
Switched to the classical SSA "return-done block" shape:
- `InlineReturnInfo` carries a third field `done_bb: BlockId`
— a fresh basic block allocated by `lowerComptimeCall` per
comptime-call instance.
- `lowerReturn`'s inline path stores into the slot, drains
defers, and emits `br done_bb`. The basic block's terminator
is what carries the "no fall-through" signal; the
`block_terminated` flag is no longer touched.
- `lowerComptimeCall` allocates the slot + done_bb, lowers the
body, then switches to done_bb and loads the slot. Tail-
expression bodies that fall through (rare when has_return is
true) get a synthetic store + br so the CFG is well-formed.
For `if cond { return 42; }; return -1;`:
- cond=true: then's `return 42` stores 42, br done_bb. Merge
block has only the false predecessor, doesn't run the
trailing return. Load done_bb → 42.
- cond=false: condBr skips to merge. Merge runs `return -1;`
→ store -1, br done_bb. Load → -1.
`examples/157-pack-if-return.sx` flips from `8354116000` (the
uninitialised slot load on the false path) to `-1`. A
three-way `classify(..$args)` smoke confirms multi-path
inline-return works for any of the three branches.
Dead-code-after-return inside the inlined body still trips the
LLVM verifier (same shape as a regular `return X; print("dead");`
which also crashes today). Acceptable consistency — user code
shouldn't write unreachable code in either context.
196/196 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Pack-fn bodies that index the pack via `args[<int_literal>]`
now resolve to the i-th call-site argument's lowered value
directly, propagating the call arg's concrete type instead
of the boxed `Any` that the `[]Any` slice path returns.
New plumbing in `src/ir/lower.zig`:
- `pack_arg_nodes: ?std.StringHashMap([]const *const Node)` on
Lowering. Maps a pack param name (e.g. "args") to the slice
of call-site arg AST nodes.
- `lowerComptimeCall` populates the map when the variadic
param is heterogeneous (`is_variadic AND is_comptime`, i.e.
the `..$args` form). Plain `args: ..Any` keeps the existing
`[]Any` slice path so stdlib's `format`/`print` continue
unchanged. The map is saved/restored across nested calls
mirroring `comptime_param_nodes`.
- `packArgNodeAt(ie)` returns the call-arg node when an
index_expr matches `<pack_name>[<comptime_int_literal>]`
with the index in range; null otherwise (fall through to
standard slice indexing for runtime indices or non-pack
bases).
- `lowerIndexExpr` checks `packArgNodeAt` first; on a hit it
lowers the call arg node directly. `inferExprType`'s
`index_expr` arm does the parallel check so AST-level type
inference (e.g., for field-access type checking) sees the
concrete call-arg type.
`examples/156-pack-typed-index.sx` flips from
"field 'x' not found on type 'Any'" to `7` — `args[0].x` now
resolves through the concrete `Point` type instead of Any.
Out of scope (deferred): non-literal comptime indices
(`args[$i]` where `$i` is an arbitrary comptime expression);
`$args[$i]` in type positions (step 3); per-mono mangling
(monomorphisation stays inline-only).
195/195 example tests + `zig build test` green.
`lowerComptimeCall` now scans the body for `return` statements
via `fnBodyHasReturn`. When found, it allocates a stack slot
typed to the fn's return type and installs it as
`self.inline_return_target` before lowering the body.
`lowerReturn` checks `inline_return_target` first:
- If set, it stores the coerced return value into the slot,
drains pending defers, sets `block_terminated = true`, and
returns without emitting a `ret` into the caller's basic
block.
- Otherwise it emits the standard `ret` as before.
After the body lowers, the inliner either returns the
tail-expression value (existing fast path — bodies with no
`return` skip the slot entirely) or loads the slot when
`block_terminated` is set.
Why the bug was invisible until now: `format`/`print` and
every other stdlib comptime fn use arrow form (`=> expr`) or
`#insert`-only bodies — no `return` statement, no path through
`lowerReturn`. Step 1.b of the pack feature made `..$args`
parseable; the natural smoke test
`foo :: (..$args) -> s64 { return 42; }` was the first
comptime-fn body to take the `return`-with-trailing-statements
path, surfacing the LLVM verifier crash.
`examples/issue-0045.sx` flips from the lock-in failure to
`42`. 194/194 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Pack-shaped impls (`impl P(...) for Closure(..$args) -> $R`) now
match concrete closure sources at xx resolution time. Concrete
impls keep their priority — pack matching only fires on a
concrete-key miss in `param_impl_map`.
New plumbing in src/ir/lower.zig:
- `PackParamImplEntry` carries the pack-shaped source TypeId plus
the pack-var and ret-var names extracted from the impl AST's
`target_type_expr`. `registerParamImpl` detects pack-shaped
sources via `pack_start != null` on the resolved closure type
and additionally registers in a new `param_impl_pack_map`
keyed by `"Proto\x00<arg_mangled>"` (no source suffix).
- `tryUserConversion` re-shapes the concrete lookup so the pack
path runs on miss. `tryPackImplMatch` walks the pack entries,
verifies the source's fixed prefix matches the impl's prefix,
binds the pack-var to the source's tail param TypeIds, binds
the ret-var (when the impl's return is generic) to the source
return, and monomorphises the convert method. Mangled name
stays keyed on the concrete source so distinct call shapes
monomorphise separately.
- `pack_bindings: ?StringHashMap([]const TypeId)` is saved/
restored around monomorphisation, mirroring `type_bindings`.
- `resolveClosureTypeWithBindings` handles the closure_type_expr
node during type resolution: when the closure carries a
`pack_name` AND `pack_bindings` has a binding for it, the
bound TypeIds are appended after the fixed prefix and the
result is a concrete (non-pack) closure type — so the impl
body's `self: Closure(..$args) -> $R` substitutes to the
concrete source closure during monomorphisation. Without an
active binding, the pack shape is preserved.
`examples/155-pack-impl-match.sx` flips from the
"no Into(Block) for cl_s32_bool__bool" lock-in diagnostic to
"pack impl match ok": one user-declared
`impl Into(Block) for Closure(..$args) -> $R` covers a
`Closure(s32, bool) -> bool` source that stdlib has no
hand-rolled impl for. Constructed Block isn't invoked
(invoke=null) — the test exercises only the matching +
monomorphisation, not the trampoline (step 5 of the plan).
Existing concrete-impl paths unchanged: 95-objc-block-noop,
96-objc-block-multi-arg, and stdlib's hand-rolled
`Into(Block) for Closure(bool) -> void` continue to pass through
the concrete map first. Same-file duplicate pack impls
diagnose at registration; cross-module visibility and
multi-pack-impl specificity stay TODOs (matching the deferred
Phase 5 work on the concrete path).
193/193 example tests + `zig build test` green.
`parseTypeExpr`'s `Closure(...)` arm now accepts a trailing
`..$name` (sigil optional) as a variadic-pack marker. Pack must
be terminal — `)` is the only token accepted after the name.
`ClosureTypeExpr` AST gains `pack_name: ?[]const u8` carrying the
identifier so later slices can name the binding.
`FunctionInfo` / `ClosureInfo` in src/ir/types.zig grow a
`pack_start: ?u32 = null` field. `Closure(..$args) -> R` interns
as `params = []`, `pack_start = Some(0)` — distinct from any
concrete `Closure(...) -> R` shape thanks to updated hash/eql
arms. New constructor pair `closureTypePack` /
`functionTypePack` keeps the existing single-shape constructors
unchanged.
`type_bridge.resolveClosureType` calls `closureTypePack` when
`pack_name != null`. The pack starts after the fixed prefix,
so `Closure(Prefix, ..$args)` resolves with `params = [Prefix]`,
`pack_start = Some(1)`.
No semantic effect yet — the signature exists in the type table
but no matching code reads `pack_start`. Step 1d wires impl
matching: `Closure(..$args) -> $R` binds against any concrete
closure source type in `tryUserConversion` / `registerParamImpl`.
`examples/154-pack-type-rep.sx` flips from rejecting-with-error
to positive parse smoke (prints "pack type rep ok").
192/192 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Extends parseParams in src/parser.zig:1558 to recognize a leading
`..` before the optional `$` sigil and the parameter name. The
old `args: ..T` form (variadic marker after the colon) still
works — both paths set the same `is_variadic` flag.
A pack declaration `..$args` parses as:
- `is_variadic = true` (from the leading `..`)
- `is_comptime = true` (from the `$` sigil)
- `type_expr = inferred_type` (no `:` annotation)
The no-colon branch now propagates `is_variadic` and `is_comptime`
onto the Param struct so later slices (type rep, impl matching,
monomorphisation) can read both flags from the parsed AST without
re-deriving from token sequence.
`examples/150-pack-parse.sx` flips from rejecting-with-error to
positive parse smoke. No semantic effect yet — `foo` is declared
but never instantiated.
191/191 example tests + `zig build test` green.
Reconsidered the M5.A.2 cleanup. The compiler-synthesised trampoline
path was hidden behaviour — a user reading their code couldn't tell
how `xx my_closure : Block` worked without reading lower.zig. That's
exactly the kind of magic sx's design has been pushing against.
New design (strict mode):
1. Stdlib's modules/std/objc_block.sx hand-rolls
`__block_invoke_void` + `Into(Block) for Closure() -> void` and
the same pair for `Closure(bool) -> void` (restored from M5.A.2).
These are readable reference implementations of the bridge ABI.
2. The compiler intercept fires NO synthesis — instead, when
`tryUserConversion` can't find a reachable `Into(Block)` impl for
the closure's signature, it emits a focused diagnostic:
"no `Into(Block) for <Closure-sig>` impl — add a per-signature
`__block_invoke_<sig>` trampoline + Into impl alongside the
existing ones in modules/std/objc_block.sx, or declare it in
your own code"
3. Per-signature declarations live in stdlib (for common signatures)
or in user code (for app-specific ones). 96-objc-block-multi-arg
now demonstrates the user-side pattern in-file — it declares its
own `__block_invoke_void_s32_p` + `Into(Block) for Closure(s32,
*void) -> void` impl alongside its main().
Net effect:
- Every block bridge is source-visible. No hidden compiler magic.
- Users see exactly how the Apple ABI shape is constructed in sx
source — stdlib serves as the reference implementation.
- Compiler enforces the discipline: missing impl → clear diagnostic
pointing at the template.
- Coverage for arbitrary signatures requires conscious user opt-in,
not silent fallthrough.
Removed from lower.zig: `tryClosureToBlockConversion`,
`emitBlockInvokeTrampoline`, `mangleClosureSigForBlock`,
`mangleTypeForBlock`, and the `block_invoke_trampolines` dedup
state field. Net: the synthesis machinery is gone; only the
detection helper `isClosureToBlockCast` remains, used by the
diagnostic.
190/190 example tests pass; chess on iOS-sim green.
`xx closure : Block` casts now bypass the user-space Into(Block)
protocol path entirely. The compiler intercepts in
`tryUserConversion` BEFORE the Into lookup, detects when src is
`Closure(...)` and dst is `Block`, and emits:
1. A C-ABI trampoline `__block_invoke_<sig>` (deduped per closure
signature via `block_invoke_trampolines` map). Body matches the
existing hand-rolled `__block_invoke_void` exactly: load
block_self struct, extract sx_env (field 5) + sx_fn (field 6),
call sx_fn(__sx_default_context, sx_env, ...user_args), return.
2. Inline Block-struct construction at the cast site:
`Block { isa = &_NSConcreteStackBlock, flags=0, reserved=0,
invoke = &__block_invoke_<sig>,
descriptor = &__sx_block_descriptor,
sx_env = closure.env, sx_fn = closure.fn_ptr }`
Signature mangling: compact codes — `v` void, `b` bool, `i` s32,
`q` s64, `f` f32, `d` f64, `c/C/s/S/I/Q` for other ints, `p` for
pointers/aggregates that lower to a machine word. Return first,
then params underscore-joined. `Closure() -> void` mangles to `v`;
`Closure(bool) -> void` mangles to `v_b`.
Loud failures at the cast site:
- `Block` struct missing → "requires #import \"modules/std/objc_block.sx\";"
- `_NSConcreteStackBlock` extern missing → same diagnostic.
- `__sx_block_descriptor` global missing → same.
- `__sx_default_context` missing inside the trampoline emitter →
compiler-bug diagnostic (the scan pass should always register it).
The existing hand-rolled stdlib impls (`__block_invoke_void`,
`__block_invoke_bool`, the two `Into(Block) for Closure(...)`
impls) are now redundant — the compiler-synthesised trampoline
takes over via the intercept. Next commit (M5.A.2) removes them.
95-objc-block-noop continues to pass; IR shows `__block_invoke_v`
(the synthesised name) replacing the hand-rolled
`__block_invoke_void` at the cast site. 189/189 example tests
pass; chess on iOS-sim green.
emitObjcDefinedClassDeallocImp now walks the class's #property fields
BEFORE freeing the state struct. For each:
- assign → no-op (primitives, no ARC traffic).
- strong → val = load field; objc_release(val).
- copy → same as strong (the stored value is a +1 retained copy
produced by the setter's [val copy]; we release it here).
- weak → objc_destroyWeak(&field) — unregisters the slot from
libobjc's side-table so the runtime stops tracking it.
Order matters: property releases happen BEFORE freeing the state
struct (which would invalidate the pointers we need to read), which
happens BEFORE [super dealloc] (which eventually frees the Obj-C
instance's own memory). The full sequence is now:
%state = object_getIvar(self, __sx_state_ivar)
// M4.B (this commit):
for each strong/copy property P:
val = load struct_gep(state, P.idx); objc_release(val)
for each weak property P:
objc_destroyWeak(struct_gep(state, P.idx))
// M4.0c (already shipped):
allocator = load struct_gep(state, 0)
allocator.dealloc(state)
object_setIvar(self, ivar, null)
// M1.2 A.6:
[super dealloc] // → objc_msgSendSuper2
ffi-objc-arc-02-strong-property now passes: child held by parent's
strong property gets released when parent deallocates, refcount → 0,
child deallocates, both states freed via tracker. Balanced 2/2.
189/189 example tests pass; chess on iOS-sim green. M4 complete.
emitObjcDefinedPropertyGetter dispatches on objcPropertyKind. The
strong/copy/assign paths keep their bare load. The weak path:
retained = objc_loadWeakRetained(field_addr)
autoreleased = objc_autorelease(retained)
return autoreleased
`objc_loadWeakRetained` does the race-safe upgrade via libobjc's
side-table: if the target has deinitialized (or is mid-dealloc on
another thread), returns null; otherwise returns the target with
refcount bumped (+1 retained, transferred to caller).
`objc_autorelease` drops the +1 into the current pool so the
caller doesn't need to manually balance — matches Apple's auto-nil
weak-getter contract.
The bare-load weak path (still in place pre-M4.B-getter) worked
for the single-threaded test scenario because the runtime nils the
slot before the load happens. The load-retained version covers the
multi-threaded "between load and use, target deinit's" race that
silent bare-load can't.
189/189 example tests pass; chess on iOS-sim green.
emitObjcDefinedPropertySetter now dispatches on objcPropertyKind to
emit the right runtime ops per Apple's ARC contract:
- assign → bare store (primitives, explicitly opted-out object slots).
- strong → load old; objc_retain(new); store new; objc_release(old).
Apple's runtime treats release(NULL) as a safe no-op, so
no explicit null-check on the old value.
- weak → objc_storeWeak(field_addr, val) — handles first-store
(init) and re-store (destroy + init) atomically. Registers
the slot with libobjc's side-table; the runtime auto-nils
it when the target deallocates.
- copy → [val copy] (sends `copy` selector — returns retained per
the NSCopying contract); load old; store the copied
instance; release old.
Side-effect on the weak path: even with the bare-load getter still in
place (loaded directly from the slot), weak reads work because Apple's
runtime side-table-nils the slot at target dealloc. The getter
improvement via objc_loadWeakRetained is the next commit and is
needed for race-safe reads (between load and use, the target could
deinit on another thread); for the single-threaded test scenarios
the bare load is sufficient.
ffi-objc-arc-02-strong-property advances from "child dealloc'd at
midpoint" to "unbalanced; alloc=2 dealloc=1" — strong setter now
retains, but the M4.B-dealloc cleanup hasn't landed so the child
held by the property isn't released when the parent deallocates.
Final commit (M4.B dealloc) closes the loop.
ffi-objc-arc-03-weak-property turns fully green: storeWeak +
auto-nil side-table do the work.
189/189 example tests pass; chess on iOS-sim green.
Three pieces, no behavior change yet:
1. `ObjcPropertyKind` enum (strong/weak/copy/assign) + `objcPropertyKind`
helper in lower.zig. Reads `field.property_modifiers`, applies the
default rule (`*<ObjC-class>` → strong; primitives → assign), and
emits loud diagnostics for the silent-error budget:
- unknown modifier name (typo) → "expected one of: strong, weak, copy, ..."
- conflicting modifiers (e.g. `strong,weak`) → "mutually exclusive"
- `weak` on non-object slot → "requires a pointer-to-Obj-C-class type"
- `copy` on non-object slot → same
- `strong` (default or explicit) on `*void` → "ambiguous: specify
#property(strong|weak|copy|assign) explicitly"
Called from `emitObjcDefinedClassPropertyImps` for validation; the
returned kind isn't wired into setter/getter/dealloc yet — that's
the next three commits.
2. `ensureArcRuntimeDecls` lazily declares libobjc's ARC helpers:
objc_retain, objc_release, objc_storeWeak, objc_loadWeakRetained,
objc_initWeak, objc_destroyWeak. Uses the existing
`ensureCRuntimeDecl` pattern; idempotent.
3. Fix existing NSObject method names in std/objc.sx — `isEqual_`,
`isKindOfClass_`, `respondsToSelector_` had trailing underscores
that the selector mangling turned into double-colon selectors
(`isEqual::`). Removed the trailing underscore so the selectors
come out as `isEqual:`, `isKindOfClass:`, `respondsToSelector:`
as Apple's runtime expects.
4. Two xfail regression tests:
- ffi-objc-arc-02-strong-property: assigns child to parent's strong
property, releases the original child reference. Midpoint check:
child's dealloc should NOT have fired (strong setter retained).
Pre-M4.B-setter: child dealloc fires immediately → "FAIL: child
dealloc'd at midpoint" snapshot. Exit code 1.
- ffi-objc-arc-03-weak-property: assigns target to holder's weak
property, releases target. Reads holder.target → should be null
(auto-niled). Pre-M4.B-getter/setter: reads stale pointer →
"FAIL: weak property didn't auto-nil" snapshot.
These will turn green as M4.B setter (commit 2), getter (commit 3),
and dealloc-cleanup (commit 4) land. Each subsequent commit updates
the snapshot to reflect the now-passing output.
189/189 example tests pass; chess on iOS-sim green.
The synthesized -dealloc IMP now loads `state->__sx_allocator` (the
slot captured at +alloc time by M4.0a + M4.0b) and dispatches
`allocator.dealloc(state)` through the inline-protocol fn-ptr at
slot 2. Old behaviour was `free(state)` — went straight to libc,
ignoring whatever allocator the instance was constructed with.
After this commit, the per-instance allocator design from M1.2 A.5
is finally end-to-end correct:
push Context.{ allocator = arena } {
f := SxFoo.alloc(); ← arena.alloc(STATE_SIZE) + capture
// ... use f ...
}
// refcount → 0 ⇒ -dealloc:
// load state->__sx_allocator = arena
// arena.dealloc(state) ← same allocator round-trips
TrackingAllocator now sees the alloc/dealloc pair; the deferred M1.2
A.5 work is done. Closes the loop on M4.0.
The dealloc IMP passes `__sx_default_context` as the implicit __sx_ctx
when invoking the dealloc fn-ptr — the IMP itself has no caller-side
ctx (it's called by Apple's runtime at refcount-zero), and the
default GPA is the right baseline for any nested allocations the
dealloc body might perform.
Each compiler-internal lookup that "can't fail" (Context type,
__sx_default_context global) emits a loud diagnostic instead of
silent fall-through, per the silent-error budget.
184/184 example tests pass; chess on iOS-sim green.
Two converging paths now allocate the state struct via the protocol's
allocator instead of raw malloc:
(1) sx-side `Cls.alloc()`: compiler intercepts in `lowerObjcStaticCall`
when the receiver is a sx-defined `#objc_class` and the method is
the niladic `alloc`. Emits the inline alloc-and-init sequence
using the caller's `current_ctx_ref` as the context — so
`push Context.{ allocator = my_arena } { let f := SxFoo.alloc(); }`
honors `my_arena` end-to-end. The msgSend dispatch is bypassed
entirely for this case.
(2) Obj-C-runtime `[Cls alloc]` (Info.plist principal class, NSCoder,
UIKit reflection): the synthesized `+alloc` IMP shim reads
`__sx_default_context.allocator` and calls into the same shared
helper. The IMP has `has_implicit_ctx = false` and runs with no
caller-side context — the default GPA is the right policy choice
for "everything Apple's runtime instantiates".
Shared helper `emitObjcDefinedAllocAndInit(fcd, cls_ref, ctx_addr)`
does the work: `class_createInstance` → `ctx.allocator.alloc(STATE_SIZE)`
via the inline-protocol fn-ptr → memset 0 → store allocator at
state[0] (the M4.0a slot, captured for -dealloc's later use) →
`object_setIvar(instance, __sx_state_ivar, state)`. Loud failures
on missing globals via the diagnostics system.
The sx-side interception must explicitly bitcast the
`class_createInstance` result from `*void` to the method's declared
return type (`*<Cls>` or `?*<Cls>`). lowerVarDecl reads the Ref's IR
type when no type annotation is present, and coerceToType is a
no-op for ptr→ptr — without the bitcast, `let f := SxFoo.alloc();`
binds `f` at `*void` and downstream `f.class` / `f.method()` fails
to find anything.
-dealloc still uses `free(state)` (M4.0c rewrites it). 184/184 tests
pass; chess on iOS-sim green.
State struct for an sx-defined `#objc_class` now leads with an
Allocator field at index 0 — captured at +alloc time, read by
-dealloc to free the state through the same allocator. User fields
shift to index 1+; the existing by-name lookups in
emitObjcDefinedClassPropertyImps + lookupObjcDefinedStateFieldOnPointer
naturally resolve them at the new indices.
This step is the layout change only; the +alloc IMP still mallocs
(M4.0b will rewrite it to thread context.allocator through), and
-dealloc still uses free() (M4.0c). The field is allocated but
uninitialised; nobody reads it yet.
Storage type comes from `Context.fields[0].ty` via the new
`objcStateAllocatorType` helper — same Allocator value-shape the
implicit context machinery has used all along. If Context isn't
registered (early-init paths), the helper falls back to omitting
the field rather than synthesising a half-broken layout.
IR snapshot for 142-objc-class-method-lowering updated to reflect
the new struct shape and the +24-byte state allocation. Chess on
iOS-sim green; 184/184 example tests pass.
For UFCS dispatch on foreign-class receivers (`#foreign #objc_class`
aliases), `resolveCallParamTypes` was returning an empty slice — both
`resolveFuncByName(qualified)` and `fn_ast_map.get(qualified)` miss
for `#foreign` methods (they live in `foreign_class_map`, not the
regular fn maps). With `param_types` empty, the per-arg `target_type`
assignment in `lowerCall` was skipped, leaving `self.target_type` as
whatever it held on entry — usually the enclosing function's return
type. Inside a `-> BOOL` method, `xx ptr` then lowered with target
type `i8`: `ptrtoint ptr to i64` → `trunc i64 to i8`, sending the low
byte of the pointer through.
Symptom: chess on iOS-sim crashed in
`-[NSNotificationCenter addObserver:selector:name:object:]` with
`observer = 0xC0` (low byte of the SxAppDelegate receiver) when the
AppDelegate method's first param was renamed to anything other than
`self`. The original session diagnosed it as a `self`-vs-`this`
hardcoding in `lower.zig`, but those hardcoded `"self"` strings are
all on compiler-synthesized parameters (init scopes, JNI stubs,
property IMPs, dealloc IMPs) — not the user-facing #objc_class body
params. The bug was in arg-type resolution.
Fix walks `foreign_class_map` + `findForeignMethodInChain` to recover
the declared param types (skipping the implicit `*Self` for instance
methods). Regression test `examples/issue-0044.sx` exercises the
BOOL-return + foreign-class arg shape; pre-fix the receiver round-trip
prints WRONG, post-fix it prints ok.
The UIKitPlatform struct had a string of '*void = null; // UIWindow*'
fields — the type lived in a comment, every callsite had to 'xx'-cast
back to the real type. Migrated to the real foreign-class pointer
types now that M3 declared all the relevant '#objc_class' aliases:
window: ?*UIWindow
root_vc: ?*UIViewController
gl_view: ?*UIView (SxGLView OR SxMetalView — both extend UIView)
gl_layer: ?*CALayer (CAEAGLLayer OR CAMetalLayer)
gl_ctx: ?*EAGLContext
display_link: ?*CADisplayLink
Each field is wrapped in '?' since the platform may not have set
it yet (gl_ctx is null in metal mode, display_link is null before
the first frame, etc.).
SxSceneDelegate's window getter/setter now take/return '?*UIWindow'
instead of '*void' so calling code doesn't need an xx-cast.
Required fix in objcTypeEncodingFromSignature: '?T' (optional) was
bailing with 'type kind not yet supported'. Apple's runtime treats
nullability as 'pointer may be null' — the wire encoding is the
same as T. Recursive unwrap handles ?*UIView → '@', ?*CADisplayLink
→ '@', etc.
Chess on iOS-sim: board renders, full pipeline intact. 183 tests
+ zig build test green.
Migrates SxSceneDelegate from the hand-rolled
objc_allocateClassPair + class_addMethod + class_addProtocol
sequence to the declarative form:
SxSceneDelegate :: #objc_class("SxSceneDelegate") {
#extends UIResponder;
#implements UISceneDelegate;
#implements UIWindowSceneDelegate;
scene_willConnectToSession_options :: (self, scene, session, options) { ... }
window :: (self) -> *void { ... }
setWindow :: (self, w) { ... }
}
emit_llvm now honors '#implements' in the class-pair init
constructor — for each #implements ProtocolAlias on the cache
entry's AST, emit before objc_registerClassPair:
proto = objc_getProtocol("ProtocolName")
class_addProtocol(cls, proto)
iOS checks 'class_conformsToProtocol' when instantiating scene
delegates; without the conformance the runtime silently rejects
the class and a default scene with no delegate gets created
instead. The protocol-getter returns null on dead-strip /
runtime mismatch (rare but possible) — the runtime treats
class_addProtocol(cls, null) as a no-op, so no explicit null
check needed.
Method bodies forward to the existing legacy free IMP functions
(uikit_scene_will_connect, uikit_window_getter,
uikit_window_setter) so we don't have to inline the scene-
connect setup logic (~80 lines).
uikit_register_classes is now tiny — just the two remaining
view-class helpers (M3.3 SxGLView + M3.4 SxMetalView). M3.5
deletes the function entirely once those land.
Chess on iOS-sim: board renders, scene delegate fires, touch
events route correctly. 183 example tests + zig build test
green.
Two coupled changes that unblock the uikit_register_classes
migration:
1) M1.2 A.3 — body's 'self' is the Obj-C id (opaque), NOT the
state struct. Matches Apple's ObjC semantics where 'self' IS
the object. Cocoa idiom 'xx self → id' works at runtime calls
(addObserver:, etc.); previously the trampoline replaced
'self' with the state-struct pointer, breaking any runtime
call that expected an id.
'*Self' substitution in resolveTypeWithBindings now points at
foreignClassStructType(fcd) — the opaque class stub — instead
of objcDefinedStateStructType(fcd).
'self.field' access on a sx-defined class instance field is
rewritten by lowerFieldAccess to go through the __sx_state
ivar:
state = object_getIvar(self, load(__<Cls>_state_ivar))
val = struct_gep(state, field_idx) → load
Both read (lowerFieldAccess) and write (lowerAssignment) take
this path. Compound ops (+=, -=, etc.) are supported via
storeOrCompound. The lookup is filtered: skip property fields
(those still go through the M2.2 msgSend getter/setter
dispatch) and foreign classes (no state).
New helpers in lower.zig:
- lookupObjcDefinedStateFieldOnPointer — match check.
- lowerObjcDefinedStateForObj — emit the object_getIvar +
ivar-global-load idiom (shared between read + write paths).
- lowerObjcDefinedStateFieldRead — the load path.
Also moved the @llvm.global_ctors registration out of the
sx-defined class-pair init constructor — global_ctors fires
DURING dyld's framework load, before UIKit registers its Obj-C
classes. objc_getClass("UIResponder") returned null, super
was null, objc_registerClassPair crashed. main's entry block
is post-framework-load but pre-user-code — exactly the right
window. New helper injectCtorIntoMain.
2) M3.1 — SxAppDelegate migrated to declarative #objc_class.
uikit_register_classes' hand-rolled objc_allocateClassPair +
class_addMethod for SxAppDelegate is gone; the compiler
synthesises the class at module init. The method bodies
forward to the existing legacy IMP free functions
(uikit_did_finish_launching, uikit_keyboard_will_change_frame)
so we don't have to inline 70+ lines of keyboard-frame logic
right now.
Also adds UIResponder foreign-class declaration and chains
UIView / UITextField to it via #extends UIResponder so the
methods that previously lived on UITextField directly
(becomeFirstResponder etc.) move to their proper home.
Chess on iOS-sim: board renders, full state intact. 183 example
tests + zig build test green.
When 'obj.method()' is called on a foreign-class pointer and the
method isn't declared on the receiver's class, the compiler walks
the '#extends' chain to find an ancestor that declared it.
Property lookup (M2.2) flows through the same chain walker.
ParentX :: #foreign #objc_class("...") { foo :: ... }
ChildX :: #foreign #objc_class("...") { #extends ParentX; }
child.foo() // now resolves — was 'no method foo on ChildX'
Two new helpers in lower.zig:
- findForeignMethodInChain(fcd, name) walks the cache via
fcd.members[i].extends → foreign_class_map[parent] → ...
Depth-capped at 16 to break accidental cycles.
- findForeignPropertyInChain(fcd, name) — same shape for fields.
ALSO fixes a latent class-hierarchy bug uncovered while testing
M2.3: emit_llvm was passing the sx alias name to
objc_allocateClassPair(super, ...) rather than the actual Obj-C
runtime class name. For 'SxThing :: #objc_class(...) { #extends
NSObjectBase; }' where 'NSObjectBase' is aliased to "NSObject",
emit_llvm produced 'objc_getClass("NSObjectBase")' → NULL →
'objc_allocateClassPair(NULL, ...)' → SxThing's super-class link
was broken → '[sx_thing hash]' bypassed NSObject and crashed in
the forwarding machinery.
Fix: ObjcDefinedClassEntry gains a 'parent_objc_name' field
pre-resolved by lower.zig's 'resolveObjcParentName' through
foreign_class_map (which has the alias → foreign_path mapping).
emit_llvm just reads the resolved name from the entry.
153-objc-extends-chain.sx exercises both fixes:
1-level: SxThing → NSObject — t.hash() walks one #extends.
2-level: SxLeaf → SxMiddle → NSObject — chained #extends.
Both return real NSObject.hash values from libobjc.
183 example tests pass (+1). zig build test green.
Properties on sx-defined #objc_class declarations now synthesize
getter (always) and setter (unless 'readonly') IMPs that GEP into
the hidden state struct and load / store the corresponding field.
The state struct already holds every user-declared field
(objcDefinedStateStructType), so no new layout work — the IMPs
just dispatch a struct_gep + load/store through the __sx_state
ivar.
For each '#property' field on a sx-defined class:
Getter '__<Cls>_<field>_imp(self, _cmd) -> T':
state = object_getIvar(self, load(__<Cls>_state_ivar))
return state.<field>
Setter '__<Cls>_set<Field>_imp(self, _cmd, val) -> void':
state = object_getIvar(self, load(__<Cls>_state_ivar))
state.<field> = val
Both IMPs land in the cache's methods slice (mirroring the
method-IMP wiring from M1.2 A.4b.iii) so emit_llvm's
class_addMethod loop registers them on the class without
special-casing. Selector mangling:
getter: <field> (e.g. 'width')
setter: set<Field>: (e.g. 'setWidth:')
Type encoding derived from the field's resolved IR TypeId.
'readonly' (the only modifier honored in this slice) skips the
setter emission AND the corresponding method entry — so the
runtime reports the selector as absent. Other modifiers
(strong, weak, copy, assign) parse fine but stay no-ops until
M4.2 wires up ARC ops in the setter body.
152-objc-property-sx-defined.sx round-trips on macOS:
b.width = 10; b.height = 7;
read back through getter IMPs.
area is readonly — class_getInstanceMethod(SxBox, sel(setArea:))
returns NULL, confirming the setter is absent.
182 example tests pass (+1). zig build test green.
Inside a '#objc_class { ... }' block, 'name :: Type = expr;' is
accepted alongside the existing method form. Parsed as sugar for
'name :: () -> Type => expr;' — a niladic class method with an
expression body. The synthesized class method flows through the
M2.1(b) class-method pipeline: a C-ABI IMP is emitted and
registered on the metaclass.
Apple's runtime sees zero distinction — '[Cls foo]' dispatches to
our IMP regardless of source spelling. The constant form is
purely syntactic sugar; it reads better for static metadata
returns:
SxGLView :: #objc_class("SxGLView") {
layerClass :: Class = CAEAGLLayer.class();
}
vs. the equivalent method form:
layerClass :: () -> Class => CAEAGLLayer.class();
Parser change: after 'name ::' if the next token isn't '(' we
take the constant branch — parse a type expr, expect '=', parse
the value expr, expect ';'. The result is a ForeignMethodDecl
with is_static=true, empty params, return_type=Type, body=block
wrapping the expr. Pure parser-level transformation; no new AST
nodes, no new lowering passes.
150-objc-class-level-constant.sx exercises both shapes on macOS:
a primitive (s32 answer) and a pointer ('*NSObject seedClass'
— the canonical '+layerClass'-style factory return).
180 example tests pass (+1). zig build test green.
M2.1 complete: both (a) the constant form and (b) the
expression-bodied class method shape land.
Next: M2.2 — 'field: T #property(modifiers...)' synthesizes
getter/setter pairs.
Bodied methods without a '*Self' first param (parser marks
is_static=true) are now registered as Obj-C CLASS methods on
the metaclass.
Each such method gets:
- A synthesized FnDecl + body lowering through the existing
M1.2 A.2 path.
- A C-ABI trampoline 'emitObjcDefinedClassStaticImp' — same
shape as the instance trampoline but skips the __sx_state
ivar read (no instance state) and passes only
'__sx_default_context' (plus user args) to the sx body.
- An entry in ObjcDefinedMethodEntry with 'is_class=true'.
emit_llvm's class-pair init constructor now computes the
metaclass once up-front (via object_getClass(cls)) and shares
it between the +alloc IMP registration (M1.2 A.5) and the
M2.1(b) class-method registrations. The per-method registration
loop picks the target via 'method.is_class ? metaclass : cls'.
149-objc-class-method-static-imp.sx end-to-end on macOS:
SxFoo :: #objc_class("SxFoo") {
answer :: () -> s32 { return 42; }
}
// [SxFoo answer] via objc_msgSend → 42
// class_getClassMethod(SxFoo, sel_answer) → non-null
Still TODO for M2.1: the (a) class-LEVEL constant form
'layerClass :: Class = CAEAGLLayer.class();' — needs parser
extension to recognize 'name :: Type = expr;' inside #objc_class
blocks, plus lazy-init-slot synthesis.
179 example tests pass (+1). zig build test green.
Adds a special case to lowerFieldAccess: when the field is
literally 'class' and the receiver is a pointer to an Obj-C
(or Obj-C protocol) foreign-class struct, emit
'object_getClass(obj)' instead of falling through to struct GEP.
Returns 'Class' (the M1.1 first-pass alias for *void;
parameterized Class(T) covariance is deferred to M1.1.b).
f := SxFoo.alloc();
cls := f.class; // → object_getClass(f)
cls == objc_getClass("SxFoo".ptr); // ok
New helper isObjcClassPointer(ty) detects 'ptr -> struct in
foreign_class_map under .objc_class / .objc_protocol'. The
check fires BEFORE the auto-deref so the runtime call sees the
opaque Obj-C pointer rather than the load'd struct stub.
148-objc-self-class-accessor.sx exercises both shapes end-to-end
against the macOS runtime: sx-defined class (SxFoo) and foreign
class (NSObject). Round-trips against objc_getClass(name).
178 example tests pass. zig build test green.
This effectively closes Month 1 — M1.0, M1.1 (first pass), M1.2,
M1.3 all done. Remaining: M1.1.b (Class(T) covariance +
instancetype), then Month 2 (declarative sugar).
Delete the bail at lower.zig:4407 that diagnosed sx-defined Obj-C
class dispatch as 'not yet supported'. Both foreign and
sx-defined '#objc_class' decls now flow through the same
'lowerObjcMethodCall' path — instance methods on sx-defined
classes dispatch via objc_msgSend, and the registered IMP
trampolines (M1.2 A.4b.iii) route to the sx bodies.
The runtime non-Obj-C branch (.swift_class / .swift_struct /
.swift_protocol) keeps its 'not yet supported' diagnostic;
M1.2 only addresses the Obj-C runtimes.
Constructor reorder in emit_llvm: emitObjcDefinedClassInit
runs BEFORE emitObjcClassInit. Otherwise the Phase 3.1
class-cache populator calls objc_getClass("SxFoo") before our
constructor registers the class — cache slot stored null and
'SxFoo.method()' dispatched against a null class pointer.
ffi-objc-defined-class-01-instance.sx (the integration test
from the plan) now runs the full lifecycle on macOS:
f := SxFoo.alloc() // synthesized +alloc IMP fires
f.bump() // dispatch → IMP trampoline → sx body
f.bump() // state persists across calls
f.bump()
f.get() // → 3
release_fn(f, sel_release) // synthesized -dealloc fires
The user declares 'alloc :: () -> *SxFoo;' bodyless to give the
synthesized +alloc IMP a typed contract at sx call sites —
same convention as foreign classes today.
M1.2 complete: A.0 A.1 A.2 A.3 A.4 A.4b.i A.4b.ii A.4b.iii
A.5 A.6 A.7. End-to-end class-synthesis foundation works.
177 example tests pass (+1 from the integration test). zig
build test green.
For every sx-defined #objc_class, emit a C-callconv -dealloc IMP
that runs at refcount-zero. Frees the sx state struct, nils the
ivar, then chains to [super dealloc] so NSObject's runtime
cleanup (object_dispose, associated-object teardown, KVO, etc.)
runs as usual.
-dealloc IMP (self: id, _cmd: SEL) -> void
state = object_getIvar(self, load @__<Cls>_state_ivar)
free(state) // free(NULL) is safe
object_setIvar(self, ivar, NULL)
sup = alloca { receiver: *void, super_class: *void }
sup.receiver = self
sup.super_class = load @__<Cls>_class
sel_dealloc = sel_registerName("dealloc")
objc_msgSendSuper2(&sup, sel_dealloc)
return
Two new per-class globals:
- '__<Cls>_class' : *void — populated by emit_llvm's
class-pair init constructor with the freshly-allocated Class
pointer (after objc_registerClassPair).
- The existing '__<Cls>_state_ivar' is also consulted to find
the state struct.
The -dealloc IMP is registered on the class itself (instance
method) via class_addMethod with encoding 'v@:'. emit_llvm
ALSO stores cls_val into '__<Cls>_class' so the trampoline
can build the objc_super struct.
internStringConstantGlobal helper added to lower.zig — interns
C strings as [N:0]u8 globals with byte-level aggregate inits.
Used here for the 'dealloc' selector string.
147-objc-class-dealloc-roundtrip.sx verifies end-to-end on
macOS: alloc + release fires the IMP, and a second alloc/release
cycle proves runtime state isn't corrupted. class_getMethod-
Implementation confirms the IMP is registered.
176 example tests pass (+1). zig build test green.
Still gated: sx-side 'obj.method()' calls bail at lower.zig:4407
with the existing diagnostic. A.7 opens the gate — last sub-step
of M1.2.
For every sx-defined #objc_class, emit a C-callconv +alloc IMP
that the Obj-C runtime calls when '[Cls alloc]' fires (from sx
code, UIKit instantiation, Info.plist principal class, etc.):
+alloc IMP (cls: Class, _cmd: SEL) -> id
instance = class_createInstance(cls, 0)
state = malloc(STATE_SIZE)
memset(state, 0, STATE_SIZE)
object_setIvar(instance, load(@__<Cls>_state_ivar), state)
return instance
STATE_SIZE = max(typeSizeBytes(state struct), 1) — always at
least one byte so the ivar is never null after +alloc returns.
The IMP is registered on the METACLASS (class methods live there
— every Class object's isa points to the metaclass) in emit_llvm's
class-pair init constructor:
metaclass = object_getClass(cls)
sel_alloc = sel_registerName("alloc")
class_addMethod(metaclass, sel_alloc, alloc_imp, "@@:")
That override wins over NSObject's default +alloc; runtime
instantiations get the __sx_state ivar bound automatically.
Per-instance allocator binding (the plan's full design — store
the Allocator value in the state struct so -dealloc frees through
the same one) is deferred. libc malloc/free is fine for v1; we'll
upgrade once Month 4's autoreleasepool + ARC ops shake out.
REFACTOR: collapsed five duplicate 'get<Name>Fid' helpers and
their cache fields (object_getIvar, object_setIvar,
class_createInstance, malloc, memset) into a single
'ensureCRuntimeDecl(name, params, ret) -> FuncId'. The helper
checks for an existing decl by name first (avoids the
'class_createInstance.1' duplicate-symbol crash when stdlib's
'#foreign' decl is already in the module). One helper instead
of one-per-function = ~150 lines deleted.
object_getIvar / object_setIvar added to stdlib std/objc.sx
so user code can use them too (146 exercises object_getIvar
to verify __sx_state was bound to a non-null state pointer
after +alloc).
146-objc-class-alloc-roundtrip.sx end-to-end against macOS:
'[SxFoo alloc]' returns non-null AND object_getIvar(instance,
__sx_state) returns the state ptr. Real Obj-C runtime, no
mocks.
175 example tests pass (+1). zig build test green.
For each instance method on a sx-defined '#objc_class', the
class-pair init constructor now:
sel = sel_registerName("selector_string")
imp = @__<Cls>_<method>_imp (M1.2 A.4b.ii)
class_addMethod(cls, sel, imp, "<encoding>")
before objc_registerClassPair. The IMP trampoline (A.4b.ii)
already bridges C-ABI -> sx body. With registration in place,
'objc_msgSend(obj, sel_bump)' now routes to the trampoline,
which reads __sx_state ivar and forwards to '@<Cls>.<method>'.
To get selector + type-encoding strings out of lower.zig and
into emit_llvm, ObjcDefinedClassEntry gains a 'methods' slice:
pub const ObjcDefinedMethodEntry = struct {
sel: []const u8, // mangled selector (M1.2 A.1's deriveObjcSelector)
encoding: []const u8, // type encoding (M1.2 A.1's objcTypeEncodingFromSignature)
imp_name: []const u8, // C-callconv trampoline symbol
};
registerObjcDefinedClassMethods populates this when it declares
each method's body function; Module.setObjcDefinedClassMethods
attaches the slice to the cache entry by name. Static (class-
side) methods are skipped — A.4b only covers instance methods;
class-method hooks like '+layerClass' land in M2.1.
emit_llvm reads entry.methods and emits class_addMethod inside
the per-class init block, before objc_registerClassPair (the
runtime locks the method list at register time on some SDK
versions).
145-objc-class-method-dispatch.sx verifies end-to-end:
class_getMethodImplementation(SxFoo, sel_registerName("bump"))
returns non-null after main starts. Both niladic ('bump') and
single-arg ('add:') selectors checked.
Still gated (A.7): sx-side 'obj.bump()' calls. The dispatch
gate at lower.zig:4407 hasn't opened — A.5 (+alloc) and A.6
(-dealloc) need to land first so the integration test
ffi-objc-defined-class-01-instance.sx (full state round-trip)
can exercise the full lifecycle.
174 example tests pass (+1 from 145). zig build test green.
For each bodied instance method on a sx-defined #objc_class,
emit a C-callconv trampoline function '__<Cls>_<method>_imp':
void __SxFoo_bump_imp(ptr obj, ptr _cmd, ...user_args) {
ivar = load @__SxFoo_state_ivar
state = object_getIvar(obj, ivar)
call @SxFoo.bump(__sx_default_context, state, ...user_args)
ret
}
The trampoline bridges the Obj-C runtime's IMP calling convention
('id self, SEL _cmd, ...args' as C ABI) to the sx body's
default-callconv shape ('__sx_ctx ptr, state ptr, ...user_args').
Implicit context comes from '&__sx_default_context'; the body
keeps its sx-side personality intact and can use 'self.field'
through the substituted state-struct pointer (M1.2 A.2b + A.3).
New helpers in lower.zig:
- 'getObjcObjectGetIvarFid' lazily declares object_getIvar.
- 'emitObjcDefinedClassImps' + 'emitObjcDefinedClassImp' walk the
cache and synthesise each trampoline.
- 'lookupGlobalIdByName' for finding the per-class ivar handle
global. Linear scan — same N-is-small rationale as the other
Obj-C caches.
Dead code at this commit: the trampolines exist in the module
but no class_addMethod call registers them with the runtime.
'objc_msgSend(obj, sel_bump)' would still fall through to the
parent class (NSObject 'doesNotRecognizeSelector:') today.
A.4b.iii wires up class_addMethod in emit_llvm's class-pair-init
constructor — that's when the trampolines come alive.
142's IR snapshot refreshed to show the trampoline.
173 example tests pass. zig build test green.
Class-pair init constructor now registers a single hidden ivar
on each sx-defined class:
class_addIvar(cls, "__sx_state", 8, 3, "^v")
before objc_registerClassPair. After the class is registered,
the constructor calls class_getInstanceVariable to fetch the
runtime Ivar handle and stores it in a per-class global
'__<ClassName>_state_ivar : *void'. Trampolines (A.4b.ii) will
read this global to 'object_getIvar' the state struct pointer.
lower.zig declares the per-class global at scan time
(declareObjcDefinedStateIvarGlobal) so emit_llvm finds it by
name when populating. Encoding '^v' = void* (a generic pointer
— the runtime treats it as opaque storage). log2 alignment = 3
for 8-byte pointer alignment on 64-bit.
144-objc-class-ivar-registration.sx exercises the round-trip:
after main starts, class_getInstanceVariable(SxFoo, "__sx_state")
returns non-null. Runs against the real Obj-C runtime on macOS.
142's IR snapshot refreshed to include the new constructor body
(class_addIvar + class_getInstanceVariable + ivar-global store).
173 example tests pass (+1 from 144). zig build test green.
For every sx-defined '#objc_class', emit a module-init constructor
that registers the class with the Obj-C runtime at module load.
Pattern mirrors the Phase 3.1 emitObjcClassInit companion:
'@llvm.global_ctors' + ORC-JIT main injection.
Constructor body, per cache entry:
super = objc_getClass("<ParentName>") // default NSObject
cls = objc_allocateClassPair(super, "<ClassName>", 0)
objc_registerClassPair(cls)
Parent is read from the foreign_class_decl's '.extends' member;
absent ⇒ NSObject (matches M1.2 A.0 spec). Class-name strings
go through new emitPrivateCString helper that mirrors the
selector-init / class-init shape.
Two new small helpers extracted while we were here:
- lazyDeclareCRuntime — declare-once extern wrapper for Obj-C
runtime APIs.
- appendModuleCtor — append-or-create global_ctors + ORC-JIT
injection, factored out of emitObjcClassInit.
143-objc-class-registration.sx exercises the round-trip on
macOS: after main starts, objc_getClass("SxFoo".ptr) returns
non-null. Runs against the real Obj-C runtime.
142's IR snapshot updated — the constructor + ctors metadata
are now part of the expected shape.
DEFERRED (A.4b): method-IMP registration (class_addMethod with
a C-ABI trampoline that reads __sx_state ivar and calls the sx
body). DEFERRED (A.5+): synthesized +alloc / -dealloc IMPs and
the '__sx_state' ivar setup.
172 example tests pass (+1 from 143). zig build test green.
Adds Pass 4b 'lowerObjcDefinedClassMethods' to lowerRoot: after
scan, walk objc_defined_class_cache and force-lower each bodied
instance method. The Obj-C runtime invokes these via the IMP
pointers wired up in A.4 — no sx-side call path drives lazy
lowering, so we trigger it here. Mirrors the JNI eager-lower
pattern in Pass 5.
Bug fix: lazyLowerFunction has its OWN inline body-lowering
path (separate from lowerFunction) that re-resolves param types
at line 1025. It was running without current_foreign_class set,
so '*Self' fell through to the type_bridge fallback and got
interned as a 0-field struct named 'Self' — body's
'self.counter' GEP'd into '{}' and LLVM verification rejected.
Fix: set current_foreign_class at the top of lazyLowerFunction
via the same lookupObjcDefinedClassForMethod path lowerFunction
uses. Save+restore via defer.
A.3 ('self.field access via the ivar') falls out for free —
'*Self' resolves to '*__SxFooState' so 'self.counter' is a
plain struct field access. IR snapshot in
142-objc-class-method-lowering.ir shows the round-trip:
define internal void @SxFoo.bump(ptr, ptr self) {
%gep = getelementptr inbounds { i32 }, ptr %self, 0, 0
%v = load i32, ptr %gep
store i32 (%v + 1), ptr %gep
ret void
}
171 examples pass (+1 from 142); zig build test green.
Still gated: Obj-C runtime dispatch (A.7) — sx-side
'f.bump()' calls bail at lower.zig:4407 with the existing
diagnostic. IMP-trampoline emission (the C-ABI shim that bridges
'objc_msgSend' → this body) lands in A.4 alongside class-pair
init.
Bodied instance methods on a sx-defined '#objc_class("Cls") { ... }'
declaration are now registered in fn_ast_map under '<Cls>.<method>'
and declared in the IR with their *Self params substituted to
the hidden state-struct type (M1.2 A.2a).
registerObjcDefinedClassMethods walks the foreign_class_decl's
members, synthesizes an FnDecl from each ForeignMethodDecl (zipping
params + param_names), and feeds it through declareFunction with
current_foreign_class temporarily pinned so resolveTypeWithBindings
substitutes Self → __SxFooState.
resolveTypeWithBindings now treats type_expr 'Self' as a contextual
alias: when current_foreign_class points to a sx-defined Obj-C
class, the substitution returns objcDefinedStateStructType(fcd).
Other Self contexts (protocols, JNI super, foreign-class member
type resolution) are untouched — the check filters on (!is_foreign
and runtime == .objc_class).
lowerFunction also sets current_foreign_class for the duration of
the body lowering when the name is qualified <Cls>.<method> and
Cls is in objc_defined_class_cache. Save+restore via defer so
nested calls round-trip cleanly.
Verification (manual): 'sx ir' on an sx-defined class shows
'declare void @SxFoo.bump(ptr, ptr)' — two args = implicit
__sx_ctx + the state-struct pointer (correct *Self substitution).
Body emission happens lazily; A.2c will trigger it eagerly so
the IMP trampoline (A.4) can reference it.
170 example tests + zig build test green.
Builds (and interns) the hidden sx-state struct type for an
sx-defined '#objc_class'. Layout:
__<ClassName>State {
user_field_0,
user_field_1,
...
}
This struct is what the runtime's '__sx_state' ivar points at —
separate from the Obj-C object itself, which stays opaque. The
sx method bodies will operate on '*__SxFooState' (after '*Self'
substitution in A.2b) so 'self.field' resolves to a plain struct
field access — A.3's 'free if types align' premise.
M1.2 A.5 will prepend '__sx_allocator: Allocator' so dealloc can
free through the per-instance allocator. Field-by-name access
stays correct across the future repositioning.
Methods / '#extends' / '#implements' members are ignored — only
'.field' contributes. Three unit tests pin: typical-field case,
empty-class case, mixed-member case.
Dead code at this commit — helper isn't called yet. A.2b (body
lowering with '*Self' substitution) wires it in. 170 example
tests + zig build test green.
Derives Apple's runtime type-encoding string from an IR method
signature. Called by class_addMethod(cls, sel, imp, types) when
M1.2 A.4+ synthesise IMPs for sx-defined classes.
Layout: <ret> @ : <param0> <param1> ... — @ is the receiver,
: is _cmd. Caller passes user-declared params AFTER stripping
'self: *Self'.
Encoding table:
v=void B=bool c=s8/BOOL s=s16 i=s32 q=s64
C=u8 S=u16 I=u32 Q=u64 f=f32 d=f64
@=foreign Obj-C class ptr #=Class :=SEL
*=[*]u8 (C string) ^v=any other ptr
bool (sx i1) maps to 'B' (C99 _Bool); s8 to 'c' (Apple's BOOL).
Foreign-class pointers detected via foreign_class_map lookup on
the pointee struct name. Other pointers fall to ^v — encoding is
metadata, not ABI, so conservative is safe.
Struct / slice / closure / etc. BAIL via diagnostic
(ObjcEncodingUnsupported) rather than silently mis-encoding, per
CLAUDE.md rejected-patterns rule. Future passes will widen the
table as new shapes show up in real IMPs.
Dead code at this commit — helper isn't called yet. Three unit
tests in src/ir/lower.test.zig pin the primitive / pointer /
Obj-C-class-pointer encodings before A.2 wires the helper in.
170 example tests + zig build test green.
Adds an insertion-ordered cache on Module for sx-defined Obj-C
classes — every '#objc_class("Cls") { ... }' declaration WITHOUT
'#foreign'. registerForeignClassDecl appends the entry alongside
its existing foreign_class_map insert; lookup helper available
via Module.lookupObjcDefinedClass.
ObjcDefinedClassEntry { name, *const ast.ForeignClassDecl }
The pointer back into the AST lets later passes (M1.2 A.1+) walk
'members' for fields / methods / '#extends' / '#implements'
without duplicating that data on the entry. Insertion order
matters because class-pair init constructors (A.4) must register
parent classes before children — 'objc_allocateClassPair(super,
...)' resolves super by lookup.
Infrastructure only — no observable behavior change. The cache
is populated but not yet read; A.1+ start pulling from it. 170
example tests + zig build test green.
Extends parseForeignClassDecl ([src/parser.zig:1262]) with an
arrow arm that mirrors the existing parseFnDecl shape — single-
expression body wrapped in a one-statement block so downstream
lowering sees the same AST as a brace-body method.
Closes the M1.0 surface: '=> expr;' is now valid for top-level
functions, struct methods, AND '#objc_class' member methods.
The sx-defined class lowering (A.7 dispatch gate) is still gated,
so 140-expression-bodied-objc-method.sx exercises parse-only —
the body is reachable but the method is never invoked. When M1.2
lights up sx-defined class instantiation, the arrow-body form
will flow through unchanged.
169 examples pass (+1 from 140 now green); zig build test green.
`inferExprType` for a chained call `Cls.static().instance(...)` never
looked the inner call's foreign-class declaration up, so the outer
dispatch saw a `.s64` receiver, the `foreign_class_map.get(...)` lookup
missed, and lowering emitted `error: unresolved 'method'`. The macOS
target appeared to work because `inline if OS == .ios { ... }` strips
the gated body before lowering — eliding every call that would have
exercised the broken path.
The "lazy-lower" framing in the original issue file was a red herring.
Fix in `src/ir/lower.zig`:
1. `inferExprType` for `.call` with `.field_access` callee now checks
`foreign_class_map` for both shapes — `Cls.static_method(args)` (object
identifier matches a foreign-class alias, look up static members) and
`inst.instance_method(args)` (receiver is a pointer to a foreign-class
struct, look up non-static members).
2. New helpers `resolveForeignMethodReturnType` and
`resolveForeignClassMemberType` substitute `*Self` / `Self` to the
foreign-class struct so a `*Self` return doesn't synthesize a phantom
`Self`-named struct that future dispatches can't resolve.
3. The Obj-C lowering paths (`lowerObjcMethodCall`, `lowerObjcStaticCall`)
route through the same helper for `ret_ty` so the IR Ref's type matches
what `inferExprType` reports.
Regression test at `examples/138-foreign-class-chained-dispatch.sx`
exercises NSObject's `+alloc` / `-init` chain in both shapes —
`*NSObject` return then `*Self` return, and `*Self` then `*Self`. Runs
on the host (macOS) for live exercise; non-macOS hosts fall through to
a stub matching the expected output.
This unblocks Phase 3.2 C4/C5 — the `UIWindow.alloc().initWithWindowScene(scene)`
pattern that surfaced the bug is the cluster's bread-and-butter shape.
167/167 example tests; chess builds clean on macOS, iOS-sim, Android.
